Latch systems are well known in the art. Typically, a component, such as a vehicle door for example, will have a latch for engaging and cinching onto a striker. The latch will have a rotatably mounted fork bolt or claw and a detent or pawl engaged with the claw. The claw cooperates with a mouth of a latch housing to pivot between an open and closed position for receiving, engaging, and cinching a striker. As the claw engages the striker, the claw rotates and the pawl travels along a cam surface of the claw to retain the claw in a closed and cinched position. Inner and outer manually movable release handles may be operably connected to inner and outer release levers on the latch. To release the latch, the pawl is rotated by responsive movement of either of the inner or outer release levers to disengage the claw.
Movement of the claw, pawl, the inner or outer release lever, or another component of the latch may also be operated via an actuator. In conventional latches, a buffer is often mounted to the housing, near the actuator, and is configured to contact a stopper portion of the actuator. Thus, the buffer limits an amount of movement of the actuator, and therefore the mount of movement of a component coupled to the actuator. The buffer is positioned within a bore in the housing. During operation, the buffer may be dislodged from the housing and interfere with the movement of the other components of the latch. Once the buffer has fallen inside the latch, the buffer cannot be easily accessed without dismantling a significant portion of the latch.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a latch wherein unintended movement of the buffer relative to the housing is prevented from occurring.